Review of All That Jazz (1979) by Jens T — 24 Mar 2012

Bob Fosse had a restively short career in movies with only five feature films when he died in 1987 from heart attack only 60 years old, but besides the movies he had a pretty busy life as an actor, a dancer a choreographer a theater director. And many people conciser his feature film All That Jazz to be his autobiography, his 8 1/2.

All That Jazz is the story about acclaimed director and choreographer Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider) who's is very busy doing many things at once, like editing his latest film, directing a stage musical, have his weekend with his daughter. Every morning he listening to Vivaldi while taking his daily drugs and says to himself in the mirror "It's showtime folks". He's seen smoking cigarettes all the time. Along with all his work this effects his health, but he have no intentions of relaxing in a hospital bed.

All That Jazz is like Fellini's 8 1/2 a meta film, only this time it's a musical inside Gideon's head. Real life is real life, while on his deathbed he imagine directing a farewell musical to himself. While the death angel Angelique (Jessica Lange) is preparing to take him to heaven. You may think that this might be what Bob Fosse were thinking on his deathbed. Because most of it actually fits right into his own life. Besides these speculations All That Jazz is a joyful musical with a lot of great dancing and singing performances. And Roy Scheider's performance is just his best in his entire career, as the self destructive and charismatic artist that does nothing but thinking art. Thumbs up.